City profile · Minnesota · Census ACS 2023

Afton, MN

Afton's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

2,944
Residents
$129,956
Median income
$655,400
Median home
$1,125
Median rent (state)
View my watchlist

Compare or rank this city

Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.

Compare with another city

Starting with Afton, MN - add up to three more cities on the compare page.

See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Afton.

Place dossier plate

Sheet MN-AFTON-MN · Afton, MN 2,944 pop · income 90th pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-TOP · COL-PAR · SAFE-UNK · RANK-TOP · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-HIGH · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 2,944
  • INC-TOP $129,956
  • COL-PAR 98.6
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-TOP 90th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Wesley Chapel
  • HOME-HIGH $655,400
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Wesley Chapel, NC (+ $6 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Afton

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Afton on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Afton on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 2,944.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $129,956. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Afton - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Afton places in the 90th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

90th
percentile, household income
91st
percentile, home value
36th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Afton, MN

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 2,944 residents in Afton, a small town within Minnesota. Households in Afton report a median income of $129,956 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 4.8%. Home values in Afton run a median of $655,400, and the median resident age is 50.3 years. 60.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 53.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 5 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 50% from five years earlier.

Minnesota tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Minnesota at 98.6 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,125 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Minnesota's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 42.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Afton's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from housing and income to comparison shortlist to population change to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Afton, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares, annual population history, local building permits. No matched row is reported here for FBI reported-crime rates, matched public-school count, within-city Census tract profiles; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

Question 1

How far does income reach against housing in Afton?

The home-value-to-income reference is comparatively stretched: the ACS median home value is 5.0 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 4.8%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median. That flags a question for comparison, not a verdict: tenure, household composition, financing costs, and the age of the ACS estimate can all change what a resident actually pays.

Compare the housing trade-off →

Question 2

Which cities make useful reference points for Afton?

Within Minnesota, the closest population matches are Greenfield (2,897 residents, $147,184 income); Mountain Iron (2,865 residents, $81,607 income); Dodge Center (2,864 residents, $77,552 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Huguley, AL (2,944 residents); Lucedale, MS (2,944 residents); Brookville, NY (2,944 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

3. Population change

Is Afton growing, shrinking, or holding steady?

The recent population line is broadly flat. That makes the composition of change more important than the headline count: housing turnover, household size, and age structure can shift even when the total barely moves.

Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +4 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +0.1% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 5 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.

See the national growth ranking →

4. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in Afton?

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. Remote work has a visible role in the local pattern. That can reduce commute exposure for some workers, but it says nothing about job availability or broadband quality; read it alongside income and housing rather than as a stand-alone lifestyle score.

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 71.2%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Compare commute patterns →

Population

2,944 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$129,956 /yr

Top-decile income · poverty 4.8% (Below-median poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.6 (US=100)

Above-average cost · BEA RPP 2024, Minnesota average

City profile score · Afton, MN

74/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Bachelor's+ share A+
60.1%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Household income A+
$129,956

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Poverty rate B-
4.8%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Cost of living D
98.6 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Afton profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Bachelor's+ share, Household income, Poverty rate, Cost of living. Bachelor's+ shareHousehold incomePoverty rateCost of living 74 B
Afton profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Bachelor's+ share: 92/100 (A+) · 60.1%
  • Household income: 90/100 (A+) · $129,956
  • Poverty rate: 67/100 (B-) · 4.8%
  • Cost of living: 46/100 (D) · 98.6 index

How does Afton compare to other US cities?

Here's how Afton stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 90% higher than other cities
Home value 91% pricier than other cities
Median rent 36% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Afton against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Minnesota only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Minnesota-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Afton near the bottom of Minnesota's cities

Among the 785 Minnesota cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Afton ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Afton only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#43 of 775
94th percentile in Minnesota
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 785
0th percentile in Minnesota
Median Home Value
#16 of 774
98th percentile in Minnesota
Poverty Rate
#439 of 785
43rd percentile in Minnesota
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#38 of 784
95th percentile in Minnesota
How in-state ranks are ordered

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Minnesota only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

90thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

90th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Afton's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$655,400 9th percentile more affordable than 9% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Afton $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Afton's home-value-to-income ratio: 5.0×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
pressured
> 5.0×
National rank
#12,972 of 15,516
More affordable than 16% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#9,805 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 5.0×, Afton sits in the pressured band: national rank #12,972 of 15,516 and #9,805 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median, a comparison flag, not a verdict on any household.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$129,956 Afton, MN median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Afton, MN Afton, MN's median household income ($129,956) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Afton, MN-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Afton, MN median $129,956/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Afton, MN median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Afton, MN.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 60.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 53.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
2,944
Median Income
$129,956
Median Home Value
$655,400
Median Age
50.3
Poverty Rate
4.8%
Labor force participation
53.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
60.1%

Population Change

PEP vintage

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,940 residents2,945 residents2,950 residents2,955 residents2,960 residents2,965 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,956 residents 2,960 residents ▲ +0.1%
Afton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.
Read the chart as text
Period Population
2020 2,956 residents
2021 2,955 residents
2022 2,960 residents
2023 2,944 residents
2024 2,944 residents
2025 2,960 residents

Housing Supply

BPS source

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
5
housing units authorized
Single-Family
5
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 10
2020 10
2021 16
2022 9
2023 7
2024 5

Permit volume decreased 50% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
71.2%
Carpool
2.9%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
2.1%
Work from Home
22.7%
Other
0.8%

Based on 1,266 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Minnesota statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $225

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Minnesota at $225 (electricity about $95 , water and sewer about $45 ).

These are Minnesota statewide averages, not a meter reading for Afton. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Minnesota's BEA cost-of-living index is 98.6 (Near Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Afton is $1,125/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Minnesota statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 42.4 / 100 (Low).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Minnesota statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Afton sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Afton compares to similar-size Minnesota cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Afton (this city) 2,944 $129,956
Greenfield 2,897 $147,184
Mountain Iron 2,865 $81,607
Dodge Center 2,864 $77,552
Census BPS 2024
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

Browse all city profiles → · Explore city rankings →

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Share or download this profile